How Does SMW Build Its Network of Interim Executives?

Our executives and clients often ask how we staff such a wide variety of roles. One quick answer is that we maintain a vast network of experts we match with companies in the market for interim management or consultation. We also foster relationships and connect interim executives with clients based on their specific needs.

How does SMW build its network of interim executives?

Senior Management Worldwide (SMW) is skilled at making connections. We believe that our clients are not just the companies we serve and staff. We also see our interim executives and consultants as clients. Once they have had positive experiences in interim positions, their referrals are invaluable to us as we continue to grow. They are a key part of our expanding network of partnerships. The current job market would indicate that staffing in many industries could be slowing down. In spite of this trend, our reputation allows us to continue providing high level interim executives and consultants to our clients.

SMW’s compensation for interim executives

Interim managers and consultants share fees. SMW’s highly effective sales and marketing connects executives and consultants directly with clients. This allows managers to concentrate their skills, abilities, and efforts solely on their assignments. We base revenue sharing on rates that benefit all parties. Payments are generally equal to or marginally more than a company would pay for a contract they seal through traditional means.

Overall, SMW’s services save money for companies. We assign an advisor for each contract and ensure that we deliver the best results based on client and manager needs. Our vetting process has produced a network of some of the most skilled executives whom we place to serve in some of the most critical roles at some of the most crucial times.

How does SMW compare with LinkedIn or my own network?

It is true that LinkedIn has the world’s largest database of professionals who are ready to work. While LinkedIn’s size and scope can be beneficial, it can also pose problems for interim executives or those seeking to hire them.

Most companies begin with a large field and must narrow it through their own processes and problem solving. This often results either in too many candidates or too few, depending on the starting parameters. SMW’s system is tried and true in times that are critical for their clients. Some considerations are as follows:

  • Naming the expertise and background so that the search yields only executives who fit a job’s criteria.
  • Locating available individuals who have the necessary expertise. LinkedIn profiles can limit information only to recent employers, or it can expand to include many irrelevant details. Often, consultants do not list all of their projects and capabilities, thinking that certain experiences might not apply. As a result, sometimes a consultant who is a good fit for a company might not even appear on the radar for an interim position.
  • Understanding that not all executives label themselves as independent consultants. It is easy to bypass one of these executives because of the way they market themselves on the network.
  • Often, quality interim managers do not network on LinkedIn.
  • Vetting candidates is a process. Once a company finds someone independently, they must determine whether a candidate’s CV is accurate. They must also figure out whether the new hire will be able to replicate his or her accomplishments in the new setting.

The Benefits of SMW

One benefit of finding executives through one’s own network is the power of personal referrals. However, many are finding this style of management and hiring very limiting. As the global business community has grown and changed, so too have networking capabilities. We no longer live in an age where phone numbers or email addresses are always people’s primary contacts. Dynamic executive leaders make themselves available in many forums.

A specialist firm like SMW is able to step in and connect interim executives and consultants with companies in need. Sometimes these connections are as close as only one contact removed from a company’s list of known applicants. Other times they must be accessed through professional networks like SMW.

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France

Grégoire Cabri-Wiltzer

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